Agenda item

The Board will consider a report giving key highlights from the latest Performance Monitoring Data for the Children’s Service.

Contacts:

Ophelia Rix, Head of Corproate Parenting  

Janet Tolley, Virtual School Headteacher

The Board considered the latest reports giving key highlights on Performance Monitoring data for the Children’s Service for Children in Care, Fostering and Children’s Homes up to the end of August 2021. 

Ophelia Rix, Head of Service for Children in Care, Care Leavers and Looked After Children presented the data relating to ‘children entering care, children in care and placement stability’. Itwas noted that:

·       There was currently a decreasing trend in the number and rate of children in care from 68.7 (688 children) in November 2020 to 64.7 (648 children) in August 2021. The current 12-month average for Kirklees was 66.9 (670 children) and was below Statistical Neighbours 2020 rate of 92.2.

·       This may be due to the use of Special Guardianship Orders (SGO’s), an alternative legal order which gave parental responsibility of a child to connected family and friends.

·       The data showed that in Kirklees SGO’s were particularly effective in ensuring successful outcomes for children and young people.

The Board welcomed this information and requested that a piece of work be undertaken around understanding the use of SGO’s in neighbouring Local Authorities and suggested sharing Kirklees’s best practices with those authorities.

In relation to educational outcomes Janet Tolley, Virtual School Headteacher reported that:

·       100% of PEPs were completed within the Summer Term in-line with the new termly processes. 

·       The Virtual School was currently leading on all PEPs since the Covid-19 lockdowns began in March 2020. 

·       PEP meetings were currently held virtually and enabled the virtual school to be involved in every young person’s meeting whilst bringing together social workers and schools to provide high quality wrap around support.

·       100% of school moves since the start of the academic year were carefully planned across the service to ensure a smooth transition with no break in provision.

·       Absence/ Persistence Absence (PA) figures could not be compared to previous years due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic where reported absences were higher due to illness, and school bubble closures. 

·       This negatively impacted on the number of PA pupils, even though many of these young people were not attendance concerns. 

·       This was reflective of the national situation and the local one, where Kirklees was subject to public health restrictions and high rates of infection over a longer period.

·       The Virtual school continued to monitor individual attendance closely and work to support young people on an individual basis.

·       A key priority of the Virtual School was to support young people with their mental health to ensure that they were engaging with education in the recovery from the pandemic. 

·       The full detailed Virtual Head Teacher Report (containing the data for the previous academic year) was scheduled to be presented to the full governing board and then could be provided to the Corporate Parenting Board for consideration.

The Board noted that the information was reassuring, and it was agreed that the Virtual Head Teacher Report (containing the data for the previous academic year) be presented at the next meeting of the Corporate Parenting Board.

Gill Addy, Designated Nurse for Looked After Children presented the data relating to Children Looked After Health and highlighted that:

·       Initial health assessments: Kirklees rolling 12-month data showed that 88.8% were completed in the statutory 20 working day timescale.

·       Initial Health Assessments were carried out by telephone due to social distancing restrictions in clinics. This allowed birth parents and social workers to be involved.

·       Review health assessments: Kirklees rolling 12-month data showed that 88.2% and 92.2% of the ‘Developmental’ assessments (for under 5yrs old) and ‘Annual’ assessments (for over 5 yrs. old) were completed in statutory timescales.

·       Dental Checks within last 12 months: Kirklees rolling 12-month data showed that 50.7% of children had attended the dentist.

·       This was an improving picture from times when the closure/limited availability of dentists during the Covid-19 lockdowns prevented routine checks.

·       A new ‘Flexible Commissioning’ dental project aimed at vulnerable children, was allowing easier access to some named dental surgeries in Kirklees.

·       Substance misuse: 5 young people (0.97%) had admitted to, or were known to, use substances that significantly affected their life when asked at their Review Health Assessment (RHA).

·       This information was dependent on voluntary admission but there may be a more accurate source for this information through social workers and the substance misuse service. Any young person misusing substances at any level is offered support.

In respect of the ‘flexible commissioning project’ the Board requested that the details of registered dentists were shared with foster carers through the Kirklees Fostering Network and Gill Addy agreed to identify the correct contacts.

Responding to a question from the Board about the length of the project and continued funding, Gill Addy explained that the project was to be promoted across key partners and through the Oral Health Advisory Group. The Board noted the information relating to Looked After Children Health welcoming particularly the benefits of the ‘flexible commissioning project’ and the approach to its promotion. It was also agreed that the Annual Health Report would be presented to a future meeting of the Board.

In relation to Looked After Children Convictions, Elaine McShane, Service Director - Family Support and Child Protection suggested that a report on Looked After Convictions including the outcome of the Youth Justice Inspection be provided to the next meeting of the Board.

Ophelia Rix presented that data on Care Leavers and noted in relation to ‘Contact with Care leavers’ that there had been an increase in contact with Care leavers during June, July, and August 2021. This was to be viewed in the context of this group all being aged 18 plus. However, Ophelia noted that in some situations, young people did not wish to keep in contact with their Personal Advisor (PA’s).  It was agreed that a full report be presented to a future meeting of the Board that sets out the work of the PA service and the legal requirements in relation to contact with Care leavers.

In relation to adoption Sara Miles, Head of Service – Resources, Improvement and Partnerships advised that the Annual Review of Fostering report was to be presented to the next meeting of the of the Board. Tom Brailsford, Service Director (Resources, Improvement and Partnerships) highlighted that over 76% of children and young people were in foster care which was above the national average. Going forward, it was noted that recruitment and retention of foster carers was a priority and in relation to this, the Board highlighted the importance of learning from foster carer exit interviews.

RESOLVED: The Board noted the Children’s Performance Highlights Report and it was agreed that:

1.    A piece of work be undertaken around understanding the use of Special Guardianship Orders in neighbouring Local Authorities and to share Kirklees’s best practices with those authorities.

2.    The Virtual Head Teacher Report (containing the data for the previous academic year) be presented at the next meeting of the Corporate Parenting Board.

3.    The Annual Health Report would be presented to a future meeting of the Corporate Parenting Board.

4.    The names and contact details for the dental surgeries registered under the Flexible Commissioning Project be provided to the Kirklees Fostering Network.

5.    A report on Looked After Convictions including the outcome of the Youth Justice inspection be provided to the next meeting of the Corporate Parenting Board.

6.    A report in relation to PA Contact with Care Leavers be provided to a future meeting of the Corporate Parenting Board.

7.    The Annual Review of Fostering report be presented to the next meeting of the of the Corporate Parenting Board.